I believe the importance of driving education in reducing the number of deaths as a result of driving is to educate people about all the risks. Some people may see it as obvious, but just because it is obvious doesn’t mean people listen to the rules of the road. People who have been educated in the driving field still can get into accidents. People who know the rules of the roads still don’t follow them all the time, which is the problem. Imagine what happens when we don’t learn about the rules of the roads, we know only what we have taught ourselves or what others have taught us. It would be nearly impossible to go your whole life without having an accident. When everyone has taken their driving courses and passed their tests the risk of getting into fatal accidents decreases. Which results in the number of deaths as a result of driving to decrease.
In order to reduce the number of deaths related to driving, I believe there needs to be more strict consequences to breaking the rules of the road. Especially when it comes to speeding and running red lights. Instead of just fining people, we should make them go back to school for a certain number of hours and suspend more licenses. When the risk is higher people won’t want to risk losing their license or having to spend their quality time going to driving school. I think we also need to raise the driving age to 18. A lot of accidents happen when we are young, mostly because we don’t take the rules of the road as seriously. Driving and paying attention on the road is a lot of responsibility to hand in to a 16-year-old. 16-year-olds haven’t fully matured yet. I don’t think people who haven’t fully matured should be on the road endangering other people. The last thing I believe would help with reducing the number of deaths related to driving is making the written and driving portion of the test harder and more specific. Everybody says how easy the written driving test is. In reality, it shouldn’t be easy at all, we should be put to the test to prove that we know what we should and shouldn’t do while driving on the road. Youn teens get into smoking and drinking even though it is illegal. Then they drive under the influence which has caused some really bad accidents.
I have been involved in a minor car accident with my mom. We were at a red light when a young woman who wasn’t paying attention tried to merge into our lane while the light was red. She ended up hitting the passenger side of our car and causing my mom to get whiplash. This was a very jarring experience to be in. I have also been in the car where my friends would be on their phone most of the time. This one time my friend tried to take a picture of the sunset while driving, against everyone telling him not to. He got pulled over almost immediately and let off with a warning, but the situation could have ended way worse. That isn’t something that should be written off. My friend proceeded to say he has been stopped multiple times for being on his phone while driving. Proving he didn’t learn a lesson from getting stopped. When someone continues to get stopped for the same reason multiple times, their license should get suspended, and they should have to go back to driving school.
I don’t have my license yet, but I know so many things I wouldn’t do while driving as someone who is naturally anxious. I would put my phone on do not disturb when I drive and remain cautious and alert at all times. When I start driving, I will learn a lot more about what works for me when it comes to staying safe on the road and being diligent, but even if you are extremely diligent doesn’t mean it you will be untouchable because It isn’t always your fault when you get into an accident. Sometimes it is someone else driving erratically. When you pay attention to others around you, you can still avoid an accident from happening. I could help others I know in multiple ways. The main way is to hold them accountable. Don’t let them go on their phones, tell them not to speed, making sure that they are giving the road their full attention.